Community Engagement Project Update: Keep Those Bad Air Stories Coming

Utah Public Radio has partnered with the Public Insight Network to report on public health effects of air pollution in Cache Valley. Listeners and other members of the community here have been telling us their experiences with air pollution through an online form. Jennifer Pemberton has been listening to these stories and has this update on public concerns:

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We’re basically asking 3 major questions in our online form: Have you felt health effects from the pollution in Cache Valley? Do you check the air quality on a regular basis? and most importantly, what questions do you have about air pollution in our community?

“I'm not sure if I can completely attribute this to air pollution, but since living in Cache Valley since May 2012, I noticed differences in my health during the winter. I have had a continuous sore throat and scratchy throat. While it is common for me to get bronchitis during the year and colds or the flu during the winter, I have never experienced a lingering sore and scratchy throat like I have had since living in Logan."

Drew Tebeau wants to know if “moving to Logan negated the health benefits of having quit smoking.”

A source asked “If the air is bad outside, is it also bad inside?” Another asked, “Is it "worse" in the valley bottom and "not as bad" on the benches?”

We’re going to try and get answers to as many of these questions as we can and we want to let listeners know that they are not alone in worrying about these things. If you want to share your story about air pollution, go to upr.org/source and tell us about it. We’re listening.

We're standing by for your report on air quality in Cache Valley. As a partner of the Public Insight Network, Utah Public Radio is turning to you, our listeners, to report on issues that matter to you. See what we're thinking about at our Source page and chime in on any issue any time you have something to say.